A little braver
by SkullEaterAlice
Summary: Zutara FanFic. After escaping general Zhao, Katara had just dragged herself onto a seemingly barren island when she's captured again by Prince Zuko.
1. Capture

The waves crashed onto the shore flowing all around her small body. It was so cold and painfully bright. Her eyelids fluttered open as the sun beamed high above her, she could smell the salty wisp of ocean air, she could see the birds flying high overhead, feel the push and pull of the ocean. It was wonderful. "I'm alive…!" she rasped. After enduring a week and a half of torture she had made a daring escape from General Zhao. Breaking out of her cell she'd found her way to the deck, and with her hands still bound, she leaped off, embracing the wild freezing waves. It was over, all the abuse. Mentally and physically. Almost. Her body was so badly hurt and she had made it worse after the desperate dash for freedom. Her left foot had been burned so bad she could almost feel the flesh slowly rotting and falling away. Her left knee had been shattered when one of the guards, on a dare, had smashed it with a hammer over and over again. Mind working furiously she analyzed the injuries and her current situation. Ribs, several of them were probably broken, her head was matted with dry blood, right wrist broken, she could feel the salty ocean water burning the huge gash that ran from her right arm all the way down to her lower thigh, bruises everywhere, burns, too many to count. There was too much damage she couldn't even stand and she certainly couldn't do anything with her hands still tied behind her back.  
Katara's mind hurt just trying to think about it. Attempting to bend the water she used her fingers still bound behind her back, but to her horror it didn't move on her command she was about to try again when she remembered the black thick tea on the ship that they forced her to drink, there most have had some toxin in it that prevented her from bending. She hoped she hadn't lost it permanently. Suddenly she felt very scared and very alone. Leaping off the ship had been purely suicidal, and it was merely an incredible stroke of luck that she survived. Right? Thinking about it for a moment she soon found herself wondering if drowning would have been a better fate.I need to get out of this freezing water.'' /emShe thought. Her entire body screamed, as she squirmed to move towards the beach. Gritting her teeth in pain as she fought the push and pull of the ocean and finally wrenched herself onto the sandy beach. Breathing heavily, she continued to fight towards a sharp jutting edge of a huge thorn tree and as she finally reached it, tried to sit up to cut her bonds, but to no avail, trying to flop onto her back as pain splintered all round her ribcage. She felt terrible but she couldn't cry she had no tears left to cry, and she couldn't risk dehydrating herself more. So instead, she screamed with every movement giving vent to the pain, her voice was barley audible over the violent crash of the waves against rocks. Nothing, she was stuck and had only managed to make herself more tired. Being cold, malnourished, bruised, broken and exhausted, Katara's eyelids began to slowly flutter shut giving way to the darkness. Just then, something running through the bushes and she froze eyes shooting open, as she twisted her head and franticly looked into the brush looking for the source of the movement. Then she saw him, a Firenation soldier crashed out fumbling with his buckle, he cursed as removed it only to forget the drawstring on his pants. Keeping silent Katara slowly inched her way from the solider as she heard him let out a sigh of relief. Squirming as fast and as quietly as she could, began making her way towards a huge bolder. Just a few more inches and she would have made it "Maybe…!"She silently prayed. No, she unfortunately, wasn't fast enough, as he soon finished buckling back up when he turned and saw her. They stared at each other for a while Katara dead horrified inside. "Dear God's!" The man exclaimed. "You're that water girl that travels with the Avatar!" He said vigorously jabbing his finger at her as if to emphasize who he was talking about. "Crap" Katara thought. "Avatar…? Who's Avatar?" She tried. "Hahahah! What a stroke of luck!" He bent down towards her and none too gently, grabbed her collar. Her head spun as he brought her close to his face. "Yes, definitely her…" He muttered. His breath stank of vomit and booze. He must have been drinking. He was talking about her like she was an object! "I really... don't know... what you're... talking about…" she said trying not to breath in the awful stench, as she twisted her face in a gross expression all while her mind pounded like crazy against her skull. Katara felt like she could just pass out right then and there."Already bound and ready for me too! I'll definitely get that promotion!" He said excitedly, ignoring her. There was nothing she could do. He pulled out his strikers and hit both sides of her head, knocking her unconscious at once.


	2. Hell

"Your highness! Your Royal Grace! Prince of the Eastern skies and son to the God and ruler of Fire and… uh.. the world….! Your fearsome greatness! Amazing royal grace! Er… Prince of the Eas-." Stopping dead in his tracks Prince Zuko turned to face the babbling man."Shut. up. he said in an angry tone. "That is quite enough of your rambling.

Today had been a rotten day and now this idiot was trying to act like some damn royal herald. What was his name? He couldn't recall it nor did he really want to. They had temporally stoped at a port for fresh supplies and information, only to find, the port had been abandoned and left in ruins.

So instead, he'd sent his men to search the island, for food, survivors or both. This lowlife they had picked up at the last port. He'd promised he had information about the avatar, but would only divulge that information if they took him in. Zuko was about to force him to tell but Iroh stopped him and suggested they take him in.

That was a mistake. The man was a pig-headed rat. He had no sense of honor dignity or integrity. He was just a shameful leach sucking failure of a man. He was obviously trying to flatter Zuko and he wanted something.

"What the hell do you want." Zuko demanded, slightly gaining composer. Only slightly.

He stepped very close to the man's face and grabbed his collar, the familiar scent of a hangover drifted to him "_he's been drinking." _his mind deducted. _"Maybe we should just leave him here." he wondered_

The man looked smug like he had something to say but wouldn't. "Spit it out, and stop looking at me like that sicko." Zuko said while harshly shaking him

Still smiling the man said "Well, I'd like to let you know, that your humble servant, me, has delivered unto you the Avatars best friend." He said trying to be formal while giving an awkward curtsy. _"Wow. This guy is insane. He really expects me to believe that?" This is too good." _

_Let's play along he thought. "_Ah! I see! He said releasing the man. "Good work! Now, where have you placed this "_best friend of the avatars'_ " He inquired sarcastically plastering a sharklike smile on his face. The man didn't seem to notice. "Down n' the dungeons, highness. The man replied slightly slurring his words as a stupid grin slowly spread across his face reveling his yellowing broken buck teeth. Smiling, Zuko placed an arm on his shoulder. "Good work solider, I'll promote you to commander!" Zuko declared. The mans eye's widened. "And, to show my many thanks for your efforts, please, help yourself to the fine refreshments and wine in the shed over there.

Stupidly, the man nodded eagerly and skipped off singing to himself. Prince Zuko immediately turned and ran back to the ship quickly signaling for the captain to leave. The gangplank withdrew, and in a matter of seconds they had set sail. He went to stand on the balcony of the ship just as he saw the man emerge from the empty shed cursing and waving at them to return. He couldn't quite hear him but among nasty words he heard him say, _"Wait I have more information!"_ The men working on the deck looked over to the land and saw the helpless man thrashing and yelling, they merely guawffed and kept working. No one liked him he was a lousy guy. Cheating, stealing and lying doing everything he could to get out of work and always ranting on about how great he was, saying they should all be grateful and proud to have a _true_ sailor on board. On many occasions the soldiers were tempted to chuck him overboard. Iroh included, when the man insulted his singing. Zuko kept walking and entered the control room "_That guy was crazy! Expecting him to believe that load of crap! Why would the Avatar be here? And that bogus tittle spree. Prince of the eastern sky? Where the devil did he come up with that?! It didn't even sound good."_ Sweeping across the room head held high, his step full of confidence and power he saw his uncle. Easily but slowly winning a game of Pai sho against the ships new engineers, all while just sipping his tea, eye's closed.

"Prince Zuko, " Iroh said right before he slid the final piece and defeated his opponent. The man playing slapped his forehead and groaned, muttering something under his breath.

"What was all that racket I heard just now? Iroh asked eye's opening slightly, not looking away from the carefully placed tiles of his game. "Did something happen?"

"What are you talking about. I heard nothing." Zuko said flatly. Not wanting to explain or address the subject, he grabbed the map and changed the topic. "We've gone off course, the Avatar's Bison was sighted here." He said as he pointed to the earthen fire borders "Redirect immediately." Jumping from their makeshift seats they gave a stiff salute and left the room and headed down to the engine room, while the captain studied the map and made corrections to the ships course giving orders to other men in the room. When Zuko, was content, he left. But not without hearing Iroh's soft deep-throated chuckle.

**Katara: **It was dark again a cloth was covering her face It stank and she couldn't breath. She was slung upside-down on someones' shoulder like a bag of potatoes.

Torture, capture, pain, fear. Memories came flooding back and she panicked desperately trying to scream and thrash. Nothing. Her body was broken and done. Her injuries had finally sunk into her body and it couldn't keep up with her spirit anymore. Metal grinding against metal she heard a door creek open and smelled the familiar scent of a dirty musky prison cell. Falling, she felt the grip release. The man had carelessly dropped her and she fell to the metal ground on her already bruised chest. He was humming! He seemed so happy while he was tossing her around! How?! The sound of the clanking chains and shackles being moved filled her mind and she futilely attempted to move away from the man. He was still humming his sadistic tune when the ringing sound of steel echoed through the room as he unsheathed a blade. Freezing, she feared the worst. "Please no…" She croaked finally uttering words from her cracked dry lips. There was a pause the humming stoped. Time seemed to stop then a blade was placed on her hands behind her back, and it quickly sliced through her bonds cutting her skin as well and it began to feel warm and lovely as a liquid slid from her arm. The slow gentle pain was welcoming and warm. _"Is this death?"_ she felt like she could just slip away and it would all be over. _"No, not yet"_ a voice seemed to say. _"That's right, I can't give in. Not yet." _ She tried once more to move away but the bag over her head was yanked off and light blinded her causing her to wince, the pounding in her head becoming worse. She groaned slightly when rough hands grabbed hers pulling her up and against the wall while he attached cold cuffs to her sore, brunt hands. "No…!" She said blearily, slightly struggling as she watched the man yanking a chain and hosting her up then he shackled her feet in a similar manner to the wall.

"Please….. stop… please…" He grabbed a dirty cloth and forcefully shoved in her mouth. "Quiet! That's enough of you're whining Pathetic little wench!" Grabbing a fistful of her mangled hair he blindfolded her and left the room, leaving Katara alone.

**Zuko:** it had been about a day since they left the abandoned port and he'd almost completely forgotten about anything the man had said. Until his right hand man, Chang, came up to him. "Sir, what did you want with the prisoner shall I bring him something to eat?" Zuko had known Chang all his life. They'd grown up together and he'd stubbornly stuck with Zuko all throughout his banishment, he knew him well enough to know that he was a very serious man and never joked around. He whirled. "What? A prisoner? When? What are you talking about?" he said becoming serious and wide-eyed. "_The man yesterday had said something about a prisoner… Crap."_ "Liehon, the man we left at the port said he had a top priority prisoner." "Which cell." "The fourth." And then he was gone.

_"__He actually did capture someone?_! Who?" his mind was racing as he quickened his pace and made his way down to the belly of the ship. Reaching the only closed cell door he peered in and saw a figure against the wall. He couldn't find the key and was too impatient to actually look for it. Stepping back he gave and extremely powerful kick to the lock. Years of training precision and muscle slammed into the lock leaving it broken and mangled but effective as the door swung wide open.** Katara: **There was a violent crash and she heard the door almost being crashed off it's hinges. She let out a muffled cry when she heard it. She heard Footsteps and the blindfold was yanked off her eyes. This was it, it was out of her control this person... Whatever he did would kill her, why else would he be here? She wasn't afraid anymore she knew it was over and he last hope died she was ready to completely die. Katara kept her eyes closed in acceptance waiting for something. Words, pain, movement. Anything. Then something extremely unexpected "Katara?!" I raspy voice said in disbelief, it sounded all to familiar and once again she was in hell.


End file.
